Congress threatens to boycott polls after EVM found in BJP MLA’s car in Assam

The Congress has threatened to boycott the elections following the second phase of polling ended in Assam after a video showing electronic voting machines (EVMs) being transported in the vehicle of BJP MLA Krishnendu Paul surfaced.

The video has now been widely shared on social media. It shows a white vehicle with EVMs inside, and people are heard saying that it belongs to the MLA from Patharkandi.

Assam Congress chief Ripun Bora retweeted the video and said that the “open loot and rigging of EVMs” has to stop immediately. He also threatened that the party would boycott the election otherwise.

“We expect the Election Commission to take immediate action and explain how this could happen. The Congress party will consider boycotting the election if this open loot and rigging of EVMs does not stop immediately,” Bora tweeted.

Senior Assam-based journalist Atanu Bhuyan tweeted the 44-second video, adding that the situation is “tense” in Patharkandi since.

Several top Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, criticised the way elections are being held and asked the Election Commission to act accordingly. Priyanka also pointed out that in such incidents, it usually involves the BJP.

“Every time there is an election videos of private vehicles caught transporting EVM’s show up. Unsurprisingly they have the following things in common,” Priyanka tweeted listing it in separate tweets.

“The vehicles usually belong to BJP candidates or their associates; The videos are taken as one off incidents and dismissed as aberrations; The BJP uses its media machinery to accuse those who exposed the videos as sore losers.

“The fact is that too many such incidents are being reported and nothing is being done about them,” she said.

“The EC needs to start acting decisively on these complaints and a serious re-evaluation of the use of EVM’s needs to be carried out by all national parties,” she added.